Valencia Coach Admits Real Madrid Were Better as Mestalla Winless Run Deepens
Valencia coach Javier Aguirre did not hide his frustration after his team’s defeat to Real Madrid, acknowledging that the visitors were the stronger side while insisting that his players must respond on the pitch. With Valencia still searching for a home victory and stuck in the relegation zone, Aguirre said the club cannot afford to wait for a major squad overhaul before improving its results.
The loss extended a troubling run at the Mestalla, where Valencia have yet to win this season. That drought has increased pressure on the coach and sharpened the focus on the club’s immediate challenge: turning encouraging spells of football into points. For supporters, the priority is clear—a team that competes with commitment and, above all, starts winning at home.
Aguirre: Valencia must deliver results now
Speaking after the match, Aguirre said he believes the fans remain behind him, even though he does not use social media. He described Valencia supporters as passionate and influential, capable of making the Mestalla a difficult venue for visiting teams. Restoring that atmosphere, he suggested, depends on giving fans performances and results they can believe in.
“We owe it to our fans, and we are in the relegation zone,” Aguirre said, according to comments reported by Marca. He acknowledged that supporters can see the players’ effort but may not yet see enough progress in the league table. Against Real Madrid, he added, Valencia encountered a side that punished its mistakes without hesitation.
Aguirre also rejected the idea that Valencia can simply solve its problems by signing a large number of players. The team needs to improve with the squad it has, he argued, rather than wait for 14 new arrivals. That message reflects the urgency of the club’s position: with the season moving forward, every fixture offers an opportunity to escape danger, but every dropped point makes the climb harder.
Home form remains a major concern
The absence of a win at the Mestalla has become one of the defining issues of Valencia’s campaign. Aguirre pointed to the club’s last home victory, which came in 2023 when Diego López scored the decisive goal. Since taking charge, the coach said, he has overseen three matches at the stadium, and the lack of a win is weighing heavily on him.
“The Mestalla deserves a win,” Aguirre said, describing a home victory as both a significant result and a reward for the team’s work. But against Real Madrid, Valencia could not change the course of the game. The coach said the side must work harder, improve in key areas and show greater boldness if it is to turn promising performances into victories.
For a club battling near the bottom of the standings, home matches carry particular importance. Familiar surroundings and strong crowd support can provide an advantage, but that advantage only becomes meaningful when the team manages games effectively. Valencia’s next task is not simply to play with energy; it is to limit costly errors, create consistent attacking pressure and hold its nerve when momentum shifts.
Two first-half goals changed the contest
Aguirre felt the match was relatively even before Real Madrid scored. Valencia competed for around 20 minutes, but the opening goal altered the balance, and the second proved an especially damaging blow. Conceding twice before half-time left the hosts with a difficult deficit to overcome, particularly against opponents with the quality and experience to control a match once in front.
The Valencia coach said both goals were avoidable and had a significant psychological impact on his players. He nevertheless praised their composure and fighting spirit, noting that they continued trying to improve the scoreline. After falling 0-2 behind, Valencia had a spell in which their performance was not without merit, although their attempts to mount a comeback did not produce the desired result.
Being reduced to ten players made the challenge still more difficult. Against a team such as Real Madrid, a numerical disadvantage can restrict pressing options, leave more space to defend and make it harder to sustain attacks. Aguirre said the circumstances left Valencia with little room to recover, even as his players continued to compete.
Coach offers limited comment on half-time incident
Aguirre was also asked about reports of a possible clash during the half-time interval. He said he had no direct knowledge of what happened, explaining that he entered the dressing room first to calm down and deal with the situation quietly. He added that others later told him an incident may have occurred, but he did not provide further details and suggested that video footage might clarify events.
On the referee, Aguirre avoided turning the defeat into a wider complaint about officiating. He said it would be easy to criticize the official in a way that pleased supporters, but he limited his remarks to one point: if a foul was called in the build-up to the first goal, he believed the referee should also have considered a red card. He said the official looked at him but did not respond.
Real Madrid deserved the win, Aguirre says
While Valencia had shown encouraging signs in recent matches, Aguirre rejected the suggestion that his side had produced a great performance and simply been unlucky. In his assessment, Real Madrid played better and deserved the victory. Their strength, he said, became increasingly clear after the first goal, while the second made the task far more complicated.
That candid verdict gives Valencia a clear starting point for its response. The team must address the defensive lapses that allowed the game to slip away, while finding ways to remain confident after conceding. The next phase of the season will test whether Valencia can convert its effort into points and end the long wait for a Mestalla win.
For supporters considering the next football prediction, Valencia’s home record and league position will be difficult to ignore, but Aguirre’s comments also point to areas where improvement is possible. Better concentration, more decisive attacking play and fewer avoidable goals could change the outlook. The immediate demand, however, is straightforward: Valencia must show measurable progress and give its fans a result to celebrate.
